Pakistan may not pick tainted players for 2011 WC

Pakistan will not select players, who are under investigation for match-fixing allegations, for next year's World Cup as they seek to clean up their image, it was reported on Friday.

The Daily Mail reported that in addition to Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who are under investigation for alleged spot-fixing during the Lord's Test against England earlier this year, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria have also been blacklisted by Pakistan Cricket Board.

Akmal is facing a probe for his role in Pakistan's controversial defeat by Australia in the Sydney Test in January, while Kaneria was recently cleared by UK police over allegations of spot-fixing, but has not been offered a new contract by English county Essex.

The report further adds that Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has "agreed not to select the pair in an attempt to appease the cricket community after his claim in September that England had thrown the third ODI against Pakistan at The Brit Oval."

Butt withdrew his accusation after the England and Wales Cricket Board threatened legal action against him.

Pakistan has been hit by a series of match-fixing allegations this year. Recently, wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider retired from international cricket after making his debut just three months ago. He is seeking political asylum in UK after fleeing from the Pakistan team hotel in Dubai earlier this week before the fifth ODI against South Africa on receiving death threats from match-fixers.